BOX SCORE

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Despite a big performance from Nicole Kerkhoff, the Augustana women's basketball team wasn't able to hold on to a first-half lead in a 73-68 loss to Minnesota Duluth on Saturday at Romano Gymnasium.

The Vikings slipped to 11-8 (5-7 NSIC) with the loss, while the Bulldogs climbed back to .500 at 8-8 (6-6 NSIC) this year.

Kerkhoff put on an impressive performance down low for Augustana, picking up her fourth double-double of the season with a team-high 18 points and 16 rebounds, a new career high for the junior forward. Her 16 rebounds were the most in a game by a Viking player since Whitney Hofer grabbed the same amount back in 2009.

Shaunteva Ashley couldn't getting her normally high-scoring offense into gear on Saturday, finishing with a season-low 10 points in the loss. Ashley also handed out five assists in the game.

Freshman Paige Peterson scored a season-high 13 points and pulled five rebounds on the day.

Allie Koehn and Sydney Rome each gave the Vikings a spark off the bench, each ending with 10 points.

UMD was led by Taylor Meyer's game-high 24 points. Meyer did most of her work from the charity stripe, going 13 for 15.

Danielle Flood notched her first double-double of the 2014-15 season for Minnesota Duluth with 22 points and 10 rebounds, both season highs.

The Bulldogs were able to overcome a rough first half in which they shot 25 percent and turned over the ball time after time due to some stifling pressing defense by Augustana.

The Vikings came out aggressive on the defensive end early, using their press to their advantage and holding UMD to without a field goal in the first six minutes of the half until a layup by Taylor Dillinger snapped a streak of five straight misses by Minnesota Duluth.

A 15-5 run that was capped off by an Allyson Harris layup gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the first half at 16-11 with 9:33 remaining. It Harris' first basket of the contest.

Back-to-back 3s immediately following the run by Koehn and Ashley got Augustana back in the driver's seat with a one-point lead. The two deep balls were part of a 10-0 run that pushed the lead to five at 21-16.

A well-executed drive-and-dish play on the left wing from Ashley to Peterson gave the Vikings their first double-digit lead of the day at 28-18 and the senior guard her fourth assist in the half.

Despite not shooting well for the entire half, UMD was able to make it a five-point game going into the half after an 11-6 run over final 3:22 brought the score to 34-29 going into the break.

Augustana was able to hold Minnesota Duluth to just 25 percent shooting in the first 20 minutes, which included a stretch of over eight minutes of keeping the Bulldogs without a made field goal midway through the half.

Some tough defense by the Vikings resulted in UMD finishing the half with 14 turnovers.

Meyer, coming out aggressive in the opening minutes of the second half, scored Minnesota Duluth's first nine points to open the second half as part of a 14-5 run that saw the Bulldogs take a one-point lead going into the under-15 media timeout.

UMD continued to attack the basket, extending its lead to eight at 52-44 with 10 minutes to go after Meyer converted 13th and final free throw of the day.

Refusing to let this one get away, Augustana worked its way back into the contest after six straight points from Kerkhoff put the Vikings back up at 56-54 with 7:12 to go into the game. For the Morgan, Minn. native, it was her 12th point on the day.

Both teams traded baskets the majority of the way from there with Minnesota Duluth being able to take a two-point lead into the final minute at 68-64.

Augustana had its best chance late to make it a one-point contest with 27 seconds left, but came up short on a long 3-pointer by Koehn from the left wing, which forced the Vikings to foul the rest the way.

The Bulldogs were able to convert their free throws from there and get the 73-68 victory.

Key stat
UMD was able shake off turnover problems that plagued them in the first half and attack the basket and get to the line, which resulted in season-high 42 free throw attempts compared to the 19 taken by Augustana, all coming in the second half.

Up next
The Vikings return home this upcoming weekend for a pair of NSIC games. First up, a meeting with Winona State on Friday at 6 p.m. Augustana closes out the homestand with a game against Upper Iowa on Saturday at 4 p.m. Both games will be played at the Sioux Falls Arena.